Electric cigar-lighter.



No. 635,930. Patented'mL 31,' |899. F. H. HAnmMAN.

ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER.

(Application led Mar. 29, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE@ FRANK H. I'IARRIMAN, OE HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD E. OLAUSSEN, OE SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC ClGAR-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,930, dated October 31, 18979.

Application filed March Z9, 1898.

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, FRANK II. IIAREIMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Oigar-Light ers, of which the following isafull, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to an electric heating device and is adapted to that class of devices in which a certain part thereof is to be heated to a desired degree, and is especially adapted for and has for its main object the lighting of cigars, to be used in cigar and drug stores and where cigars, cigarettes, and the like are kept for sale, and, as herein shown, is applied in an ordinary incandescent-light ing circuit.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully understand the nature and construction of the same, I will proceed to a detailed description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure I represents an illustration of my improved cigar-lighter, the same being suspended from the ceiling of an apartment in its normal or vertical position and being in circuit with an ordinary incandescent electric light, the light being near the ceiling, as

shown, the dotted position of the cigar-lighter being that position in which it is held in the use for which it is adapted. Fig. 2 represents an outside View of the cigar-lighter in its normal position and drawn on an enlarged scale. Eig. 3 is a central vertical section through the cigar-lighter, as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents the cigar-lighter brought out of the normal vertical position and as adapted for use, the same being drawn on areduced scale. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of a modified form of myimproved cigar-lighter. Fig. 6 is an end ViewI of the lighting or glowing member, as represented in that modified form.

In the accompanying drawings like numbers of reference designate like or corresponding parts throughout.

In the drawings the numeral lO designates a shell, in this construction serving as a han Serial No. 675,536. (No model.)

dle whereby the cigar-lighter is manipulated and made from tubing of any suitable conducting material-such as brass, copper, silver, tbc-thc top end of which has a cap Il attached thereto, which has fastened thereto the bushing l2, provided with the central hole I2, through which the wires are passed, and that bushing is made of any suitable high-resistance insulation, which may be of any well-known material, and prevents the current from short-eircuiting at this point. One of the ends of the circuit-wire is suitably fastened to the inner side of the shell 10. The lower part of the shell IO carries, forced over the same, the cover 13, which presses and retains the lighting member Il in position, both of which are made of a con ducting material, the latter consisting of a circular plate, which is preferably made of platinum and forms one of the terminals or electrodes of the circuit. Inside of the shell IO is the communicator l5, preferably of tubular form and made of any conducting material and having at its upper end, driven therein, a plug 1G, of any high-resistance insulationsuch as hard rubber, for instanceand which rigidly supports the conductor I7, consisting of a conducting material and preferably made of a series of thin sheet strips of copper, to which, at its upper projecting end,

the other end of the circuit-wire is attached.

The lower end of the communicator l5 is closed by the iiange I5, having the reduced shank 15b. Between the end of that shank l5b andthe platinum plate 14 is interposed a mass of pulverized or comminuted carbonaceous material 1S of high resistance.

I9 indicates the connector, which in its preferred construction is a sphere or ball of any- IOO The plug 2l has in its preferred construction a recess 21 therein, adapted for holding the pulverized or comminuted carbonaceous material.

It is obvious that when the cigar-lighter is suspended from the ceiling or wall of any apartment the connector 1f) will drop, according to the law of gravit-ation, to the bottom, resting on the vl'lange 15 of the communicator, and thereby no current will pass through the wire. Vhen, however, the cigar-lighter is brought out of its normal position and inclined as shown in Fig. i or the dotted position in Fig. l, the connector 19 will roll back, resting on the conductor 17 ,and wedge against the inner wall of the communicator 15 on the other side, thereby closing the circuit, so that current may pass from the conductor 17 through the communicator 15 to the flange 15n and shank 15b, which forms the other electrode or terminal, while the carbon interposed between the two members-the shank 15b on one side and the platinum lighting member 14E on the other-forms a conductor of high resistance, which will be heated up allnost to incandescence as the current passes through the same, and by the conduction of the heat from the pulverized carbon to the platinum lighting member l-l suitable means are provided whereby a cigar may be lighted.

As a convenient manner for adapting my improved cigar-lighter to places where electricity is already introduced a current suitable tor this cigar-lighter may be used from an ordinary incandescent-light circuit having the lamp arranged as at 22, in the socket of which is an ordinary switch 23.

In the drawings, in Figs. 5 and G, I have represented a cigar-lighter in a modied form, and it consists of a handle 10x of any desired conducting or nonconducting material, having fastened thereto at the top the cap 11X, carrying the bushing 12X, of insulating material, and provided with the central opening 12%, through which the wires pass. At the lower part the handle carries securely fastened thereto the cover 13X, which presses and retains the lighting member 1ix in position, the latter being of conducting material and preferably of platinum, of circular form, having the extension l-iz integral therewith. The wires for a current suitable for this lighting device may be obtained from an crdinary incandescent-light circuit, and they are passed through the opening 12, and one ofthe ends of the circuit-wire is fastened to the extension lat", and thereby the circular plate of the glowing member l@ terms one of the terminals or electrodes of the circuit. Securely held in the handle at the lower and top ends of the same are the plugs 21X and 20X, respectively, of insulating material. The lower plug 21x has a circular recess 217'formed therein, in which the pulverized or comminuted carbonaceous material 18X of high resistance is placed. Into the plug2lX is driven the communicator 15, provided with the shank 15'L and forming the other terminal of the circuit, and loosely surrounding the communicator is the connector 19, both consisting of conducting material and the latter having the form ot a sleeve. To the top plug 2OX is securely fastened the conductor 17, consisting of a conducting material to which at its upper projecting end the other end of the circuit-wire is attached. When the cigarlighter is suspended from the ceiling, the connector will drop down into the position as shown in Fig. 5, and thereby the contacts are of course disengaged and no current will pass through the wire. It placed, however, at an incline, as indicated in Fig. i, the connector will slide into the dotted position, as shown in Fig. 5, and thereby form a conducting contact, and the circuit is closed and the current may pass through, heating the comminuted carbonaceous material almost to incandescence, and by conducting the heat to the glowing or lighting member suitable means are provided for lighting cigars.

This construction provides a device which is simple, easily manipulated, convenient, and durable, and has no delicate parts to adjust or wear Out, and should at any time the pulverized or comminuted carbonaceous mate-- rial placed between the terminals of the circuit give out the same can be renewed, thereby adapting the same for use as before.

Having thus described myinvention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination ofthe handle 10 adapted for conducting an electric circuit and for inclosing the operative parts of the lighter, the glowing member forming one terminal oi the electric circuit and mounted at the base of the handle, the plug 21 of insulating material having the recess 21 filled with pulverized carbonaceous material, the communicator havingthc reduced shank borne by the plug and forming the other terminal of the circuit when brought out of the normal position, the connector 19 loosely mounted in the communicator, the conductor rigidly mounted in the communicator, all combined and operating substantially as described.

2. in an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of the Iiexible electric conductors to suspend the lighter, the handle 10 adapted for inclosing the operative parts of the lighter and having one of the wires of the ilexible conductors attached thereto, the glowing member `forming one terminal of the electric circuit and mounted at the base of the handle, the plug 21 of insulating material having the recess 21n iilled with pnlverized carbonaceous material, the communicator having the reduced shank borne by that plug and forming the other terminal of that circuit,

IOO

IIO

the conductor 17 rigidly fastened in the oomtially as described and for the purpose set mnnicator, and having fastened thereto the forth. other Wire of the lexible electric conductors, v T i i the connector 19 loosely mounted in the oom- FRANK H' HARRIMAN' 5 municator, adapted and arranged to be moved lVitnesses:

into and out of contact When placed at an ED. E. CLAUSSEN, incline or in its normal position, substzm- GEORGE MORTSONA 

